Easter in Caltanissetta

On the occasion of the Holy Week in Caltanissetta, ancient and traditional rites take place in which the entire population and a large crowd of tourists take part. The importance of these events is demonstrated by the fact that they have been included in the Intangible Heritage Register of Sicily and in the international Europassion circuit.
On Palm Sunday the procession of u Signuri nna varca takes place, during which the simulacrum of Christ Blessing is placed on a boat entirely covered with wildflowers. The procession starts from the courtyard of the municipal library, crosses the streets of the historic center, and ends at the Church of Sant'Agata al Collegio, the place where four corporations were founded with the aim of keeping alive the cult of the Patron Saint. During the entire journey, the simulacrum is accompanied by the brothers who carry large lighted candles in their hands, by the musical band and by the children with palms and olive branches in their hands.
On Holy Tuesday an engaging sacred representation of Scinnenza takes place, with figures in period costume, which recalls different moments of the Passion of Christ up to the culminating moment of the entire sacred representation: the the deposition of Jesus, the scinnence.
The morning of Holy Wednesday is presided over by the Real Maestranza, a historic association of individual categories of artisans gathered in a city association, led by a noble captain-at-arms, who plays a prominent role during the city's religious festivals. The fulcrum around which the procession revolves is the Captain, a craftsman chosen each year in a different category, who enjoys certain privileges throughout the week: he is in charge of the keys to the city; carries with him the sword, symbol of command; he is surrounded by the tricolor band, symbol of loyalty to state authority, and receives the appointment of Knight of the Republic.
On the evening of Holy Wednesday the procession of varicedde takes place > which symbolize the Stations of the Cross. This procession was born at the beginning of the last century by the will of the shop boys who wanted to take part in the celebrations of Holy Week. They decided to carry small terracotta statues placed on trays in procession.

On Holy Thursday there is a procession of sixteen life-size statue groups which reproduce scenes from the Passion of Jesus Christ. The procession, accompanied by funeral marches intoned by the musical bands, ends only at the crack of dawn in Piazza Garibaldi. It is an extremely evocative rite and has contributed to making Holy Week in Caltanissetta famous throughout the world. The Mysteries carried in procession are also of considerable artistic and historical value: they were made, starting from the end of the 19th century, in terracotta, wood and papier-mâché by the Neapolitan sculptor Francesco Biangardi and his son.
On the evening of On Good Friday there is the procession of the Black Christ, Patron of Caltanissetta, during which the wooden crucifix dating back to the Byzantine era is followed by members of the Real Maestranza, by the faithful, and come on Bitterleaf. The Fogliamara are the pickers of wild vegetables who, according to tradition, found the crucifix inside a cave in the 14th century.
On Easter Sunday there is procession of the Resurrection. As per tradition, the Real Maestranza, led by its Captain, heads towards the seat of the bishopric, wearing white gloves, tie and socks as a sign of joy for the Resurrection of Jesus and accompanied by the merry marching band, they begin the procession . The procession ends in Piazza Garibaldi where the Bishop blesses the crowd and a representative of the Free Maestranza of the white doves in the sky. After the solemn mass in the Cathedral, the Captain returns the keys to the city to the Mayor.

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